How Kurama Leads Naruto Astray

(*This special chapter is unrelated to the main story.*) 

Naruto stood in front of a stall, rubbing his chin as he stared at the accessories on display, looking conflicted. 

"Naruto?" 

Shikamaru walked up to him, glancing at him with a puzzled look. 

"Today's the Tanabata Festival. Why aren't you with Hinata? What are you doing here?" 

"Oh, Shikamaru, it's you," Naruto said with a light laugh, but then a troubled expression crossed his face. 

"I'm trying to buy a gift for Hinata, but I don't know what to get her." 

With peace in the ninja world, Konohagakure had grown even more prosperous. At seventeen, Naruto was studying ninja knowledge and preparing for the jonin exams. Once he passed, he'd begin training as Hokage. 

Today was the Tanabata Festival, and Iruka-sensei had given him the day off so he could spend time with Hinata. But here he was, stuck at the gift selection stage. 

Naruto turned to Shikamaru with a helpless look. 

"Shikamaru, what do you usually get Temari for the festival?" 

Shikamaru, who had only come out for a casual stroll, scratched the back of his head awkwardly. 

"Temari's still in the Sand Village. Even if I wanted to give her something, I can't. And last year, it was Temari who came to the Leaf Village to find me." 

With his smarts, Shikamaru could easily pick a gift, even if he found it troublesome. But he didn't have to, because Temari would come to him directly and demand one. He just needed to pay. 

"So, what do I do?" Naruto asked, frustrated. 

He'd only started dating Hinata last year, and with his busy studies, he hadn't had many chances to give her gifts. This year, he felt he had to give her something for the festival, but he had no idea what she liked. 

From what he remembered, Hinata seemed to like anything he gave her, so he still didn't know her specific preferences. Meanwhile, Hinata always managed to pick things he liked perfectly. 

"You could just give yourself to her. She'd definitely be thrilled," Shikamaru said with a mischievous smile. 

Naruto rolled his eyes. 

"I'd love to, but Hinata would probably faint." 

"I meant something like your used kunai or something," Shikamaru said, smirking meaningfully. 

"What were *you* thinking of?" 

Naruto's face turned serious. 

"That's exactly what I meant." 

"Oh?" Shikamaru chuckled, then waved dismissively as he walked away. 

"Figure it out yourself. I'm going to wait for Temari. Knowing her, she'll probably show up any minute." 

"Can't you help me pick something?" Naruto asked, looking at him with a betrayed expression. 

"Too much trouble," Shikamaru said without even turning around. 

"Unless… if Temari gets mad later, you take the beating for me. Then I'll help you." 

"Good luck!" Naruto called, waving him off. 

Left to his own devices, Naruto walked down the street with his hands behind his head. Occasionally, a pretty girl would approach him to chat, but Naruto politely turned them all down. 

To be honest, this kind of attention made Naruto feel a bit uncomfortable. He was happy, of course, but after years of being treated so differently, it was still something he wasn't used to. 

But… things were getting better, little by little. 

"I bet Kurama's having a blast playing games right now," Naruto said with a chuckle, his whole demeanor radiating warmth like the sun. 

A group of girls nearby, who had been stealing glances at him, couldn't help but squeal. One of them even fainted on the spot. 

Naruto sighed, exasperated. 

*Sigh*, being too charming can be a problem too. 

With that thought, Naruto suddenly spotted Neji up ahead. His eyes lit up, and he waved excitedly as he walked over. 

"Neji!" 

Standing at the shop entrance with a gentle expression, Neji turned when he heard Naruto's voice. 

"Naruto." 

Naruto reached Neji's side and grinned. 

"Neji, are you out shopping alone to pick a gift for Tenten too? Did you find one yet? Can I take a look?" 

"Uh…" A hint of red appeared on Neji's face. 

"No, I'm out with Tenten." 

Naruto froze in place. 

Almost immediately, a girl with a graceful figure jumped out from inside the shop. Without a word, she grabbed Neji's arm and looked at Naruto warily. 

"Naruto, don't even think about dragging Neji off to train! It's Valentine's Day! He has to spend it with me!" 

Naruto: "…" 

"Tenten…" Neji sighed helplessly, though his expression was more indulgent than annoyed. 

"I just happened to run into Naruto, that's all." 

Tenten paused and looked at him with suspicion. 

"Really?" 

Naruto looked at her with a face full of righteousness. 

"Do I look like the kind of person who'd do that?" 

Sure, he'd often asked Neji to train with him, sparred with him, or sought his help. But today? Absolutely not! Naruto swore on his honor! 

Seeing Naruto's earnest expression, Tenten couldn't help but laugh. 

"Your honor? You? You're living with Hinata, and you're still talking about honor? Who are you trying to fool?" 

Neji sighed. 

"Tenten, as a woman, you should watch what you say." 

"You didn't seem to care about that last night in bed," Tenten huffed, puffing her cheeks in mock annoyance. 

Neji: "…" 

Naruto broke into a cold sweat. 

"Uh… excuse me…" 

Tenten suddenly gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. 

"No way! You and Hinata have been living together since last year, and you still haven't…? Hmm~" 

Even Neji looked a bit surprised. 

Naruto stared at the two with a blank expression, then clasped his hands together. 

"Goodbye!" 

With that, he vanished in a flash of golden light. 

"Using the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape—Naruto, that guy," Neji muttered, shaking his head. 

Tenten clung to his arm with a curious look. 

"Could it be true that Naruto and Hinata still haven't…? They're getting married next year, right? Are they waiting for the wedding night to make it special? Can Naruto even hold out that long?" 

Neji rolled his… well, his eyes. 

"I believe Naruto can hold out, just like me. But I didn't expect Lady Hinata to be so restrained." 

"Not everyone is as bold as I am," Tenten declared proudly, puffing out her chest. 

Neji blushed deeply and cleared his throat, choosing to stay silent. 

Meanwhile, not far away, Naruto wiped cold sweat from his forehead as he emerged from a side alley. 

"Hinata's definitely more gentle. Ever since Tenten started training medical ninjutsu with Sakura and Ino, her words have become way bolder." 

It wasn't a big deal for adults to be more straightforward, but those three women had gone too far. 

Hinata even mentioned that the last time she bumped into Sakura, Ino, and Tenten while grocery shopping, they had tried teaching her the "proper way" to take the lead in a relationship. Naruto had been utterly floored. 

They were too wild. No way he could handle that. 

Sighing, Naruto continued wandering around the streets. He had barely taken a few steps when he noticed two familiar figures in the distance. 

It was Sasuke and Sakura. 

Sakura was holding Sasuke's arm with a blissful smile. Sasuke didn't seem uncomfortable either; he looked calm as they walked together. That was until they saw Naruto. 

Sakura greeted him first. 

"Naruto, why aren't you with Hinata? What are you doing wandering around alone?" 

Sasuke nodded slightly in greeting. 

"Naruto." 

Naruto nodded back at Sasuke before responding to Sakura with a wry smile. 

"I just came from the ninja academy. I wanted to buy something nice for Hinata, but I have no idea what to get her." 

"Ah, I see," Sakura said thoughtfully. 

"You could get her a stuffed animal. I heard from Hanabi that Hinata really likes them." 

Naruto's eyes lit up. 

"Really?" 

"It's true." Sakura nodded, then quickly added as if she had just remembered something: 

"Don't buy a Kurama plushie!" 

"Uh... how did you know I was thinking about buying a Kurama plushie?" Naruto scratched the back of his head awkwardly. 

"Obviously." Sakura rolled her eyes. "Sure, the Kurama plushie looks cute, but when I think about what he's done, I just can't like it. Out of all of us, you're the only one who would want a Kurama plushie." 

Ever since the Fourth Great Ninja War ended, Kurama's once fearsome image as a tailed beast had completely crumbled. To everyone in Konohagakure, he was now like a thorn in their hearts. 

After all, no one would have imagined that the legendary Kurama, capable of destroying entire landscapes, would end up... like that. It was a complete breakdown of beliefs, and it made those who died during the Nine-Tails attack years ago seem like they had died in vain. 

To be killed by *that thing*? It was, honestly, a lifetime disgrace. 

"Kurama is adorable." Naruto, understanding Sakura's point, defended Kurama aloud but silently crossed the idea off his list. 

"I agree on that part," Sasuke chimed in for the first time. 

Sakura, annoyed, tugged at Sasuke's arm. 

"You're one to talk! I told you to stay away from Kurama, but you wouldn't listen, and in the end, he tricked you too." 

At the mention of this, Sasuke couldn't help but twitch the corner of his eye. The dark purple Six-Tomoe Rinnegan briefly appeared in his eyes but faded quickly. 

He sighed. 

"You're right, Sakura. I'll keep my distance from him from now on." 

Naruto laughed awkwardly from the side. To avoid getting dragged into the conversation, he decided to escape. 

"Uh, I still need to pick out a gift for Hinata, so I'll head out first." 

"Let's spar sometime later!" With that, he disappeared on the spot. 

Sasuke and Sakura exchanged a glance, then both smiled. Sasuke's smile was reserved, while Sakura covered her mouth, laughing with her eyes nearly closed. 

On the Hokage Rock, Naruto sat atop his father's stone head, looking down below with a troubled expression. 

The next moment, a golden flash appeared, and both Minato and Kushina materialized beside him. 

When they saw Naruto, they froze for a moment. 

Kushina stepped forward and stood by Naruto's side. 

"Naruto? It's Tanabata, so why aren't you spending time with Hinata? What are you doing on your dad's head?" 

"Ahem... yeah, my *statue's* head," Minato corrected. 

"Mom? Dad?" Naruto let out a frustrated laugh. 

"I want to pick a gift for Hinata, but I feel so unsure. Sakura told me Hinata might like plushies, so I was thinking about what kind of plushie to get her." 

 "A Kurama plushie," Kushina said without hesitation. 

Naruto's eyes lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically. 

"Right? Right? I thought the Kurama plushie looked great too!" 

"Exactly!" Kushina agreed with a huff. 

To Kushina and Naruto, the Kurama plushie was adorable and lovable. How could anyone not like it? 

The truth was, though, no one but these two liked the Kurama plushie. 

"Kushina..." Minato sighed as he moved to Naruto's other side. 

Kushina stuck out her tongue playfully. 

Naruto rolled his eyes at the sight. 

"Could you two stop showing off your love in front of your son? Do it somewhere else, please." 

"We're not showing off," Minato said with a laugh, sitting down next to Naruto. On the other side, Kushina also sat down, both of them smiling warmly. 

Kushina wrapped an arm around Naruto. 

"Naruto, do you remember why you wanted to give Hinata a gift?" 

"Of course, to make her happy!" Naruto replied without hesitation. 

"Then do you think Hinata would be happy now?" Minato asked. 

"Uh..." Naruto froze. "I... I don't know." 

"She will," Kushina said gently. 

"If Hinata knows—" 

"You're putting so much thought into choosing a gift for her—she'll be really happy." 

Naruto looked a bit lost. 

Kushina hugged Naruto and held his hand with hers. 

"The important thing about a gift isn't the gift itself but the thought you put into it. You don't need to stress over it or worry about whether Hinata will like it because no matter what the gift is, one thing will always remain the same." 

"Do you know what that is?" Kushina asked, looking at Naruto. 

Naruto gently shook his head. 

Minato, standing nearby, gave a warm smile. He reached out to place his hand over Kushina's, and the three of them held hands together. 

A comforting warmth flowed between them, like sunlight wrapped in a soft veil, glowing under its rays. 

Minato spoke with a smile, 

"It's the love you have for her." 

"Naruto, do you love Hinata?" Minato's tone became more serious. 

"I love her," Naruto answered without hesitation. 

"Just like she loves me. I can stand by her side now and tell her out loud—I love her." 

"You've caught up to her," Minato said gently. 

"This love goes both ways. Whether or not you say it out loud or show it with actions, the love is still there." 

Naruto looked at the two of them, feeling surrounded by their love—just as he always had been since he was a child. 

The next second, a spark lit up in his eyes. He jumped up from the ground, full of excitement. 

"I know what gift to give Hinata! Thank you, Mom and Dad!" 

Kushina cheered him on, pumping her fist. 

"Go for it! And don't you dare make my daughter-in-law sad." 

"I won't!" Naruto declared, clenching his fist with determination. The next second, he vanished from where he stood. 

Minato watched with a smile until Naruto disappeared. Then, he turned slightly and pulled Kushina into a hug. 

"Our son has grown up." 

"Yes," Kushina said, leaning into Minato's embrace. 

"Naruto is such a beautiful name." 

Ten minutes later, Naruto stood outside the house he shared with Hinata. Taking a deep breath, he rang the doorbell. Hearing Hinata's voice from inside, he suddenly felt a bit nervous. Holding the gift he had chosen, his heart fluttered slightly. 

But it was only a small ripple because he knew Hinata loved him. 

Soon, the door opened. Hinata, with her long hair flowing over her shoulders, stood at the door in simple, casual clothes. She looked at Naruto with some surprise. 

"Naruto-kun? Did you forget your key?" 

As she spoke, a smile appeared on her face. It was as beautiful as a blooming flower, but one that would last forever. 

"Hinata!" Naruto said loudly. 

"I have a gift for you." 

Hinata smiled gently, nodding lightly at the door. 

"Alright." 

Naruto took another deep breath and handed her the two bowls of ramen he was holding. 

"This is ramen specially made by Teuchi-ossan. Since it's the Tanabata Festival today, he made a special ramen coupon, and only I could get it." 

"Ramen?" Hinata looked at the bowls curiously as she took them. She didn't fully understand Naruto's reasoning, but she was still happy. 

Just as Sakura had once said, no matter what Naruto gave her, Hinata would always be thrilled because it was from him. 

Seeing the joyful smile on Hinata's face, Naruto scratched the back of his head a bit shyly. 

"Hinata, aren't you going to ask why I gave you ramen?" 

Hinata blinked in surprise, then chuckled softly. 

"Alright, Naruto-kun, why did you give me ramen?" 

"Because last time, I told you that I would catch up to you, without hesitation or looking back. When I finally caught up and stood by your side, when I truly understood my own feelings, I promised I'd stand in front of you and loudly tell you that I like you." 

"And back then, it was all because of Ichiraku Ramen," Naruto said earnestly, his expression full of sincerity. 

Hinata thought back to that moment, her mouth opening in disbelief. 

Naruto looked at Hinata, his eyes serious. 

"Five years ago, you told me you liked me. Back then, I asked you to wait a little longer, to give me time to catch up to you." 

"In these five years, I've been trying to catch up, doing everything I can to understand how you felt back then." 

"Maybe I succeeded, or maybe I failed, because no one knows better than you how much you love me." 

Hinata covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes. 

Naruto gently wiped away her tears with his hand and smiled. 

"So, I'm sorry, Hinata, for making you wait so long. And I'm sorry for forgetting to tell you..." 

"I think I've finally caught up to you." 

"So..." 

"I love you." 

Boom— 

The fireworks of Valentine's Day lit up the sky in the distance. The light shone through the sun, falling on them like a colorful painting capturing their beautiful love. That fleeting moment of beauty was enough to etch itself into their hearts forever. 

"I love you, Hinata. This love will never change." 

Naruto's smile reflected the fireworks, shining brighter than the sun. 

Hinata wiped away her tears, glanced at the two bowls of ramen in her hands, and suddenly smiled. 

Like a kite that couldn't leave the wind, a fish that couldn't leave the water, or a bird that couldn't leave the sky, she felt like herself—happy and complete in this moment. 

She smiled at Naruto, reached out, and held his hand. Their hands joined, forming a bridge in the sky like a magpie bridge, connecting their hearts no matter how vast the Milky Way might be. 

"I love you, Naruto. This love will never change." 

Their shadows embraced, like lovers meeting on a magpie bridge, casting an unbreakable bond onto the earth, letting it witness their eternal love. 

Happy Valentine's Day. 

This love will never change. 

---

----

You can read 10 Chapters ahead on my

pat reon.com/GMadman